Rev. George R. Greenwell

Summary of Case: A woman filed a lawsuit in 2003 claiming she was abused by Greenwell in a school restroom when she was a first grader, in about 1951. Greenwell retired in 1992 and died in September 1995. His name was included on the archdiocese's list in 2019 of those with substantiated allegations against them.

Ordained: 1942
Retired: 1992
Died: September 12, 1995

     

Start Stop Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes

1942

Louisville archbishop was John Alexander Floersh (1924-1967)

1947 St. Philip Neri's Louisville KY

2/2

 

 Parish had a school with 204-180 students.
1947 1949 Most Blessed Sacrament Louisville KY 3/3 Parish had a school with 631-651 students.
1949 1958 St. Raphael the Archangel

Louisville

• Accused in a 2003 lawsuit of sexually abusing a first grade girl in a school restroom in about 1951. (Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
April 15, 2003)

KY 2/2, 2/3 Parish had a school with 332-810 students.
1958 1964 SS. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital Louisville KY Chaplain  

1964

Succeeding Floersh was Thomas Joseph McDonough (1967-1981)

1973 St. Jerome's Fairdale KY

2/3, 1/2

 

 Parish had a school with 342-144 students.
1973 1975 St. Theresa's Rhodelia KY 1/1  
1975 1977 St. Lawrence's Louisville KY 2/3 Parish had a school with 440-430 students.

1977

Thomas Cajetan Kelly, O.P. followed McDonough as archbishop (1981-2007)

1982 St. Joseph's St. Joseph KY 1/1  
1982 1993 Motherhouse and Novitiate of the Sisters of Loretto at the Foot of the Cross Nerinx KY Chaplain Greenwell is indexed as retired beginning in 1983.
1993 1995 Retired Louisville KY  

Lived at the Bishop David Apartments, which was a residence for retired priests. Greenwell died Sept. 12, 1995.

Greenwell's name was included on the archdiocese's list in 2019 of those with substantiated allegations against them.


Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1943-1996)

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Greenwells's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on March 12, 2021.